Veterans Need Increased Access to Cannabis-Based Medicine

For veterans, access to cannabis-based medicine can be a matter of life and death…

In response to the coronavirus crisis, states from coast to coast have been shutting down non-essential businesses. Cannabis dispensaries, however, have remained open.

That’s because medical and recreational cannabis retailers have been deemed essential; a huge step forward for the cannabis industry and, more importantly, for patients who will not lose access to treatment.

But in Massachusetts, that “essential” classification was only applied to medical dispensaries, forcing recreational dispensaries to shut down.

As a result, veterans in the state lost access to their medicine – bringing to light the flawed system that denies medical cannabis access to the bravest among us.

So, today, let’s take a closer look at how we got here and what we can do to help…

Veterans Face Discrimination for Cannabis Use

A 2020 survey by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that 21% of the organization’s members are currently using cannabis as a therapy.

But veterans who use cannabis face discrimination beyond that of the typical cannabis consumer.

And, as it turns out, that discrimination is largely due to archaic policies put in place by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

The VA is an organization that was created with the intention of helping veterans.

Yet, it has stood against protections for veterans who lawfully use cannabis at what seems like every opportunity.

Last year, it opposed legislation that would protect veterans from losing their benefits based on lawful cannabis use, legislation that would allow VA healthcare providers to make medical cannabis recommendations, and legislation that would require the VA to conduct much-needed clinical research into the effects of medical cannabis as a treatment.

It also maintains a policy that allows veterans who work in the cannabis industry to be denied home loans.

The VA did all that, even though cannabis has shown to be an effective therapeutic option for a whole host of different conditions that veterans experience at a disproportionate rate. Among those is PTSD, which affects 65% of veterans who have experienced service-related injuries.

Cannabis-based medicine can help patients reduce or completely erase the need for opioids, too. And for veterans, who are at a significantly higher risk of opioid addiction compared to the general population, that could be lifesaving.

Just watch this veteran’s recovery story from the Disabled American Veterans organization.

For veterans, access to cannabis-based medicine can be a matter of life and death.

Comments

I have a family member who lost 10 close family members in approx 10 years time. I
A drug test came out positive for pot. She was discharged and never able to collect any benefits. It is a shame that her very honorable 17 years of service with many medals and commendation with a rank of E-7 was one soldier that was left behind!

I think that is discrimination not allowing a veteran to buy a house if they are working in the cannabis industry or if the use is for a medical condition. Then they wonder how come we have so many homeless veterans. Besides if that is a medical use it should be between the doctor and the patient.

this is shameful, is this how America rules the world. How long must it take for common sense to take over. The National Institute for Cannabis Investors is doing great things and not just for investors, for creating awareness of so much.

I had a friend that had agent orange, with it severe diabetes and lived in severe pain. He could not take pain medication, so he smoke pot. It helped the pain and stop the muscles from spams. He died several weeks ago, we were trying to get him a medical marijuana card. But because of all the paper work and the cost of the first doctors appointment. It is $300.00 for the doctor appointment, fifty dollars for the card, the the price of of the medical marijuana it self. There are few dispensaries around so you have to travel at least 30 miles. A lot of our VETS can not do even one of the three things I have mentioned. Legalize marijuana and more dispensaries can open then the doctor appointments will not be needed.

I live in Kansas & unfortunately our state legislature has failed time and again to get medical cannabis passed for us! Personally I’m beyond tired of taking pills every single day and getting a fraction of the relief I believe I would get from medical cannabis!

I’m a disabled Vietnam veteran that thinks an article about (THE BIG LIE) that our lawmakers and politicians have fed us for over 50 years concerning marijuana out of ignorance, instead of listening to us and check out the facts about it that are finally coming to light.

As a veteran who broke a disc in his back while in the Navy, they give me a steady supply of painkillers. In order to be on painkillers with the VA you are subject to random drug tests. If the VA finds anything other than the pain meds they prescribe, or (federally) illegal drugs, ones access to pain meds from the VA stops!

The ONLY way to make the meds available to veterans is to make it legal at the federal level and get it on the VA formulary. In order to do that one would need hard scientific studies showing effectiveness. You can have millions of people saying it helps, but without double blind scientific studies showing it’s effectiveness, it won’t make it to the VA formulary.

I feel the medicine we have to offer the people who are in pain is not enough. If cannabis is added with the pain pill and take away just a little pain for the people who have chronic pain it would be worth it. No one should have to live with chronic pain.